Such a filling device is known from EP 376 942 B1. The known filling device comprises a scooping bucket provided on the underside with a closable outlet pipe. On either side of the outlet pipe are arranged two curved hooks for fastening thereto a bag which is provided for this purpose with fastening means.
In practice the known filling device is used in the filling of bags, for instance so-called big bags, with bulk material such as sand, gravel or rubble. For this purpose the filling device is mounted on a lifting device such as a mechanical shovel. Using the lifting device the filling device is then transported to a heap of sand, gravel or other material with which the bag must be filled. The filling device is filled by making scooping movements with the carrier, such as the scooping bucket, in the heap of filling material by appropriate control of the lifting arms of the lifting device. A bag is subsequently fastened to the filled scooping bucket, whereafter the bulk material is poured out of the scooping bucket into the bag by opening the outlet pipe. A filled bag is then transported away from the heap using the lifting device and taken to a predetermined position for further transport. When the lifting device has arrived at the predetermined position the bag is set down and subsequently released from the hooks of the filling device.
In the known filling device the assistance of at least one person is always required for fastening the empty bag to the hooks and for releasing the lowered, filled bag from the hooks. This human operation is particularly time-consuming. The number of bags which can be filled in one hour with the known filling device amounts on average therefore to no more than fifteen. When the driver of the lifting device performs these operations himself, even this number of fifteen bags per hour will in all likelihood not be achieved. This number is however feasible when an additional member of staff performs these operations. Making use of an additional member of staff does however have the effect of increasing costs.